Learn the art of telling tales from Hollywood experts right in Seattle

From brand stories to short films to social media, storytelling is the foundation for developing the most compelling content. Stories connect creators to their audiences by creating emotional resonance – this means that the content leaves an indelible impression.

TheFilmSchool is a non-profit school rooted in progressive, professional storytelling through film, radio, television and cutting-edge new media. The school provides its students with the foundational education and expertise to work in creative environments within business and the arts.

But their mission goes well beyond simply offering training for would be film-makers or visual producers. As Executive Director Diana Dotter states, “We also educate government and business leaders that Seattle has a thriving creative economy and that we need to support that growth.”

TheFilmSchool incubates new talent with instruction through the process from concept to production and provides summer camps for teens in script writing and directing.

Their community outreach programs encourage participation from a wide range of storytelling voices, and they provide significant scholarship assistance to students in need. “We embrace diversity and are very inclusive. We need to hear from all voices and help people from all walks of life tell their stories in the most compelling way possible,” says Diana.

TheFilmSchool’s instructors are professionals with active careers in creative industries like actor and director, Tom Skerrit, Friends’ star Lisa Kudrow and Emily Zulauf, script supervisor for Pixar’s Inside Out. They help develop students’ skills and provide hands-on training that open more opportunities to work in creative roles in both the arts and business.

Starting on July 16, 2017, TheFilmSchool is offering a three-week, immersive program that meets students where they are in their process and takes them to the next level. Story and script consultants from Disney and Pixar help students develop their narrative and scripts. They help students understand the perspective of development executives who might be greenlighting their work.

Tom Skerrit will lead the directing portion of the program which helps students take their story ideas from script to screen. Other elements of the program include character development, production, storyboarding, shot list composition, and production design.

Whether you are an aspiring filmmaker or a digital content producer, TheFilmSchool’s industry-level programs will prepare you with a deep knowledge of what drives creative efforts forward.